The Truth about Periodontal Disease

One of the common themes we’ve been promoting on our social pages is the relationship between your oral health and your overall health. More recently studies have began to explore how unhealthy teeth and gums relate to serious conditions such as heart disease, elevated levels of cholesterol, hypertension, and more. Now more than ever it’s important to be aware of this relationship, and to take the time to care for your mouth.

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that results from improper care and cleaning of your teeth. Food, bacteria, and tartar build up in the mouth, starting at the gumline and then progress beneath the gums to damage them, your teeth, and the bone. What is amazing is that something so simple, like brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, can help you prevent the leading cause of tooth loss among adults.

There are numerous risk factors for periodontal disease you need to be aware of, including:

Genetics

Smoking

Poor oral hygiene

Age

Diet

Medical history

Medication

If you are at higher risk due to any of these factors be sure you are taking extra special care of your teeth and gums, and that you are making routine trips to the dentist to assist in your fight against periodontal disease. Since gum disease can start slowly and without pain it could be too late once you begin to notice something is wrong.

In the unfortunate event that you do develop periodontal disease, remember it is contagious! You’ll want to schedule a visit with us right away. At Susquehanna Dental Arts we offer the Perio Protect medical device, which is a tool that delivers prescribed medicine directly to the source of periodontal disease. We’re proud to note that most of our patients are able to avoid surgery on the gums, through supplemented brushing and flossing and wearing the trays for just a few minutes each day.